Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business
Side-by-side comparison
| Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $195 | $149 |
| Welcome offer | 60,000 points | |
| Advertising | 1% | 1% |
| Shipping | 1% | 1% |
| Office supplies | 1% | 1% |
| Phone & internet | 1% | 1% |
| Travel | 3% | 3% |
| Everything else | 1% | 1% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $546 | $588 |
| Points type | Locked to Delta SkyMiles | Locked to Southwest Rapid Rewards |
| Network | Amex | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 100,000 miles | 60,000 points |
| To earn it | $8,000 in 6 months | $3,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $1,351 | $1,039 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $351 | $439 |
This one splits by time horizon. In year one the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business is ahead by roughly $312, thanks largely to its welcome offer. But the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business earns more every year after, so if you keep it, it overtakes the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business after about 5 years. Chasing the sign-up bonus and open to canceling before the second annual fee? Take the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business. Planning to keep it for years? The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business pulls ahead.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Locked to a single program | Locked to a single program |
The two are closely matched on perks and redemptions, so the welcome offer and everyday earning above are what should decide it.
Transfer partners and point value
Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.
The verdict
On a typical year of business spending, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business earns about $546 a year in rewards and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business about $588, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business charges $195, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business charges $149, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business delivers more total value, about $88 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it skips the annual fee the other charges. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business currently has the larger welcome offer (a limited-time offer above its usual amount, so treat it as a one-time boost). A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.